B2 First Speaking Parts 3 & 4 Sample Answers

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These are high-scoring sample answers for the following Cambridge B2 First Speaking Parts 3 and 4. Read them and the analysis to understand what you need to talk about and the kind of answers you need to give for a good B2 First speaking score.

B2 First Part 3

Question

Sample Answer – Discussion

There is two minutes to discuss how each part influences the central question.

A/ Personally, I would say they all have to work, will all have had to work incredibly hard. An Olympics medal winner, for example, will have had to get up at the crack of dawn to train, to run, to strengthen their body, to strengthen their mind, so that they can participate in one of the hardest competitions in the world. Wouldn’t you agree?

B/ Yes, I would. As for somebody who finished university, the vast majority of them will have had to work incredibly hard, too, all through their school, as well as really digging in deep to push to get the best results they can get for their university course. Did you do that?

A/ Yes, I did. But I would say a ten-year-old pianist, you would think, well, they’re younger, so they haven’t had to work quite so hard. But if somebody is an accomplished instrument player, an accomplished musician at that age, then the work needed for that is just incredible, don’t you think?

B/ I do, yes. And I think as far as a famous actor is concerned, if they’re famous, then they’ve gone through the whole thing from just learning their lines to immersing themselves in their character and learning method acting and so on. So, they have a vast range of attributes that they can bring to whatever film they’re in.

Sample Answer – Reaching a Decision

There is one minute for the candidates to reach a decision about which activity needs the most concentration.

B/ As for which one needs to work, or will have needed to work the hardest, it’s an incredibly difficult decision because these are five areas which are really quite stressful. Personally, I would go for an Olympics medal winner, regardless of how short their sporting career is, I think to reach that goal, to have that achievement of being the best in the world, is really quite incredible, don’t you think?

A/ Yes, I do. But I’m not sure I agree with you. I would tend to go with somebody who’s finished university, but yes, coming to think, but you’re right, an Olympics medal winner.

Sample Answer Video

B2 First Part 4

One candidate is asked a Part 4 question, then the other one is asked to give a shorter opinion on it too.

Questions

Tell us about something you’ve done which you are proud of.
Do you think winning is important In sport or is taking part enough?
What would you most like to achieve in the future?
Would you like to be rich or famous? (Why/Why not?)
Which person do you most admire? (Why?)
Do you think it is Important to be ambitious in life?

Sample Answers

Question – Tell us about something you’ve done which you are proud of.

Sample answer – One of the things in my life, the one of the things in my life that I’m quite proud of is I went by myself, in my forties, I went travelling around the world and I didn’t do it very expensively and going spending lots of money. I went and I worked in all the countries that I went to so that I could meet normal people and do normal things rather than continually being caught up in tourist traps and so on. And it was wonderful. Really wonderful. I met some amazing people and really became much more confident in myself.

Question – Do you think winning is important in sport or is taking part enough?

Sample answer – I’m one of these people that will tell you I am not competitive in the least, but then when I’m doing something, that attitude changes. For example, once someone talked me into making up the numbers for a pool competition. I didn’t really like playing pool that much and didn’t really care whether I won or not. But I won my first game and was absolutely delighted, and I couldn’t stand when I was beaten in the next round.

Question – What would you most like to achieve in the future?

Sample answer – When I was younger, material success was important to me, but now I’m older, it isn’t really. So as far as achievements are concerned, I would like to be happy and content, and be able to look after my family regardless of how much money we have. We would need to have a house with a garden that was big enough for my wife to look after, but not so big it would become uncontrollable. I would love a house with a porch, so I could sit outside when it was raining and chill out.

Question – Would you like to be rich or famous? (Why/Why not?)

Sample answer – My friends and I were determined to become rich and famous when we were in our twenties, and we very nearly made it. Didn’t happen though. Looking back, it was great fun and our dream gave us a goal in life, which made us the envy of some of the people around us. I don’t really regret that it didn’t happen, life moves on and your goals change. I wouldn’t want it now, though.

Question – Which person do you most admire? (Why?)

Sample answer – There are a million and one people I admire, but the main ones, I think, would be sportsmen or women who stand up and perform under enormous pressure. For instance, I love watching football. Imagine if someone is playing for their country, they have a very easy chance to score a goal, and they miss. The whole stadium and everyone watching on TV will be going crazy, but they just need to carry on. If they don’t improve in that game, the newspapers will make their life hell. It must take a really strong personality to keep playing after that.

Question – Do you think it is Important to be ambitious in life?

Sample answer – Yes, I think it is, for various reasons. Firstly, it gives you a goal in life, which makes every decision easier. You know what you want in the end, so you know which direction you need to go. Secondly, like with the decisions, it’s easier to work hard at what you need to do improve and meet people who could help you. There are downsides, though, which would definitely include not being able to switch off and relax and understand other people’s problems.

Less Common Vocabulary

in my forties – between 40 and 49 years old
caught up
tourist traps – places that are there to make tourists spend money
not xxx in the least – to emphasise that you are not xxxx
to talk someone into something – to be persuaded to do something
making up the numbers – to do something with other people, because they need a certain number of people. A football team for example.
pool – a game like snooker
delighted – extremely happy
beaten – to lose
material success – to have all the possessions you want
content – deeply happy
regardless – despite
uncontrollable – wild, out of control
porch – a shelter at the front or side of a house
chill out – relax completely
determined – to make a decision and really not want to change it
looking back – to think of or remember the past
envy – to want something someone else has
a million and one – a large number of things or people
stadium – where a large crowd can watch a game or a concert
carry on – continue
in the end – finally
downsides – drawbacks
switch off – stop thinking about anything